30th June, 2010
The academic and non-academic staff of six tertiary institutions owned by Borno Government on Tuesday embarked on an indefinite strike.
The Chairman of the state polytechnic chapter of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Mr. Safiyo Bwala, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the action followed government’s neglect of the education sector.
He said the institutions were demanding the implementation of the Consolidated Salary Structure for Tertiary Institutions (CONTISS).
Bwala alleged that staff of tertiary institutions in the state were the least paid in the country when compared with their colleagues in other states.
“The development has caused mass exodus of lecturers to other states with better remuneration and conditions of service,” he added.
Bwala said the institutions had in 2008 embarked on strike which lasted six months, but had to suspended it following the intervention of the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Garbai.
He explained that a committee was raised to make inquiries about the salary scale of tertiary institutions in the North East Zone with a view to recommending how government could apply same to the aggrieved staff.
The chairman added that although the committee had submitted its recommendation since the beginning of the year, no concrete action had been taken by government.